Peterborough-based public and Catholic school boards are closing all schools on Friday due to the expected major snowstorm to hit the area on Friday.
Both the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board announced all of their schools will be closed Friday.
The concerns of potential flash freezing, heavy winds and blizzard-like conditions make it unsafe for students and staff to travel to and from school, both boards stated. Environment Canada says between 15 and 25 centimetres of snowfall is expected.
“It is never an easy decision to close our schools and we do not make it lightly,” said Joan Carragher, the Catholic school board’s director of education.
“While our normal practice is to keep schools open on inclement weather days, we are concerned that the oncoming weather event poses an unusual level of risk to students, staff and families. We hope making this school closure decision early in the afternoon today will provide families time to prepare.”
PVNC’s St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Virtual School will proceed as usual on Friday.
Both school boards serve Peterborough, Peterborough County, Northumberland County and sections of Durham Region. PVNC also has schools in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County.
The public school says school-based child-care programs (for infants, toddlers and preschoolers) may choose to operate on Friday. Parents/guardians should contact their individual child-care providers for further information.